Seizing Life
by Nightborn Dreamer
Summary: Sasuke had always been a sickly child and it limited how he lived his life. Unhappy and dissatisfied, he longed for a change, for something more. He had just about given up hope when he reunites with the one person who told him, "You can."


Title: Seizing Life

Pairing: NaruSasu

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Sasuke had always been a sickly child and it limited how he lived his life. Unhappy and dissatisfied, he longed for a change, for something more. He had just about given up hope when he reunites with the one person who told him, "You can."

Author's Note: An old story I forgot to post. ^^;; Whoops. I got the idea to do this in my History-150 class. I wanted to write something where Sasuke needed someone to support and believe in him. I kind of like stories where the tables are turned if done well and…hopefully I've done it well. Lol. So without further ado, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, not the characters or the fandom.

~*NS*~

Sasuke Uchiha often found himself in a speechless state. The main reason for this wasn't because he was shy but rather because he was socially inept. He had always been a very sickly child and was sheltered by his parents because of it. He had been home schooled and rarely ever went anywhere without someone from his home or family with him. Because of his lack of socializing with those outside of his kin, he didn't know how to talk to most people or make friends. Whenever he got out, it was because someone in his family wanted to do something.

In this case, it was his father and older brother Itachi. His father decided he wanted to take his boys hunting and so they gathered their things and hit the road. They drove out of the city and into a small town called Konoha. Perhaps the name came from the fact that it was surrounded by trees and nature. Either way, once they got there Sasuke was having a hard time breathing and felt nauseous. Because of that, his father got him a room at an inn to stay in. Once he started feeling better, he decided to explore the town. His father and brother would be hunting for hours and he didn't want to sit around _all_ day.

Besides, despite being accustomed to it, Sasuke hated living such a restricted life. He would love to wander, to see different things and witness all of the happenings around him. It was that that brought him out of the inn and watching the people across the street. They were building a new house and Sasuke sat on a bench across the street and watched them. A particular worker caught his interest as he recognized him from the city.

Naruto Uzumaki.

The man was from a wealthy family like him, though tragedy had befallen them. Seven years ago his mother died from an illness and his father from unknown causes not too long after. Back then he had been well known as Naruto Namikaze. People were sure he was going to take over his family business but he surprised everyone by selling it and disappearing. He changed his name to Uzumaki and moved out of the city. Sasuke had heard that the man had wandered a lot until people lost interest and stopped keeping tabs on him. He also remembered hearing a rumor that he finally settled down in some small town but didn't pay much mind to it. People loved to gossip but Sasuke wasn't one of them.

If Sasuke was correct, Naruto was be twenty three and looked very different from when he was twelve. His skin had gotten pretty tan, probably from working outdoors under the sun; he had packed on more muscle from the labor as well. He definitely wasn't the same scrawny, small kid he was in school. Sasuke had gone to a middle school for half a year before returning to being home schooled. He was never friends with Naruto during that time; the boy had been loud and annoying, that and he was a year older than him. The blonde haired boy also had other friends who he was busy making trouble with. Yet despite them not having interacted much, Sasuke felt strange whenever around him, or whenever the other looked his way or spoke to him (even if he was crude and rude most times, you'd think he was raised by monkeys). Even now, looking at him made him feel the same strange things.

It was like being punched in the gut.

He decided it was due to jealousy, no matter how much is mind hated to admit it. Naruto was the complete opposite of him. For one, he was healthy. He had all of this energy Sasuke _wished_ he had. He probably didn't even know what it felt like to be bed ridden for _days_. He even _looked_ healthier. While Naruto was tan and filled out, Sasuke was sickly pale and lacked muscle.

Why _wouldn't_ he be a little envious?

Suddenly, as if knowing someone was watching, those dazzling sapphire eyes looked up at him. Sasuke felt his body tense and felt very much like a caged animal. It was the same as when they were younger. Sasuke had always ignored people who annoyed him or were rude to him, but whenever Naruto said something to him, no matter what it was, Sasuke always had to say something back. It wasn't because he condoned such behavior; he wasn't fully sure _why_ he did it. He just couldn't figure himself, or Naruto, out, let alone the feelings the other provoked.

Grinning widely, Naruto raised his hand and waved at him. Before Sasuke knew it, his own hand was raising slightly in greeting as well. Once he took note of his action, he looked at his hand like a traitor…and a bit in wonder. It was just another one of those things Naruto always made him do. Usually when people waved at him or tried to greet him in any other way, Sasuke ignored them. Why couldn't he ignore Naruto too?

Sasuke shook his head and decided he had enough of watching them. He stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away. There was a little river he had seen in this town and he decided to go and stand on the bridge. He always did love water. Nature in general was something he very much enjoyed.

Luckily the bridge wasn't that far. Much to Sasuke's chagrin, he had difficulty walking long distances due to not being used to that much exercise. By the time he got to the bridge, he sat down and let his legs dangle over the edge as he watched the river. It was a wooden bridge and rather wide. It was also surrounded by nature and the area was beautiful all around. He could hear the birds chirping in the distance and even saw one land on a tree branch.

How lucky that bird was, he thought, to have the freedom to fly anywhere he wanted sounded like bliss. For if there was one place Sasuke really didn't want to be, it was in the big city he lived in with his parents. Sure, they lived in a big fancy mansion and sure, the neighborhood was pretty and all of that, but the air smelled different. The people were diverse but weren't good or very kind at all. They were greedy, horrible people who would use or destroy you if it helped them gain something in return. It wasn't at all like the place he was in now, where the air smelled clean and people worked together in harmony (for the most part, he was sure even small towns had their social issues).

"Hey," a voice called from behind him, he looked over his shoulder and saw Naruto. "Long time no see, Sasuke."

"Hn." Sasuke, with the support of the railing, stood up and leaned back. He supposed he shouldn't at all be surprised that Naruto remembered him, but it pleased something inside of him that he remembered his name. "Did you follow me?"

"Were you watching me?" Naruto countered, raising an eyebrow.

Touché.

"I was just surprised to see you here, working with the other townspeople. That's all."

"Yeah well, I'm surprised to see you in this town as well. I don't believe you've been here before, have you?"

"I haven't. My father just thought it'd be nice to take me hunting. The area around here is where he comes sometimes."

"Ah, yeah, it's deer hunting season here. I do recall seeing your father around during that time last year. So where is your dear old dad?" The question sounded almost bitter, but Sasuke had no plans to press the issue.

"He's hunting with my brother. When we got here I…wasn't feeling well." Sasuke looked off to the side, wondering if he should bring up his health. It wasn't as if he and Naruto were longtime friends. Getting too personal may make the other uncomfortable. That was how it went, wasn't it? He was sure Naruto knew of his poor health, but that didn't mean it was okay to talk to him about it.

Either way, Naruto didn't press the issue and an uncomfortable silence fell on them.

"You look good," Sasuke said politely. It was something people often said to each other when seeing each other after a long time, he was sure.

"And you look like death," Naruto joked. Trust him to have less social grace than Sasuke. "I think it's a good thing you're out here. Maybe you'll get some color."

_Sorry if I can't be outdoors all of the time like you_, Sasuke mentally snapped back, but kept the words inside.

"It must be nice to be able to live wherever you wish," Sasuke sighed, looking straight ahead again, but staring off into the distance rather than at Naruto.

"Hm? But you can live wherever you want too, eh? I mean, you've got the money…"

Looking off to the side, Sasuke mumbled, "Money isn't the problem…"

"Then what is?" Naruto questioned, looking thoughtful. "I know it's been a long time, but I remember why you were pulled out of school. And I remember why you never went back to school with the rest of us. But you have two legs and a beating heart. What's stopping you from going out and doing whatever you want?"

"It's not that simple," Sasuke insisted.

"Maybe because you're over complicating it."

"What would you know?" Sasuke snapped, glaring at him. It felt as if Naruto was belittling his situation, his health, and making it sound like doing all of what he wanted was no big deal. Sasuke couldn't just run a mile or climb a mountain just because he wanted to or was feeling confident one day. He couldn't even spend time with more than a couple of people because large crowds gave him migraines with all of their loud chattering (another reason why he hated the city was due to it being so damn noisy) and he'd probably end up picking up their germs. Almost every time Sasuke went to a social gathering or was in any place where there was an abundance of people he left feeling terribly ill. Nauseous, sweating, a sore throat, and he'd be bedridden for days.

But Naruto didn't understand that – _couldn't_ understand that.

Not with his stamina, good health, and toned body.

"Sasuke," Naruto sighed. "The only thing holding you back is you. I know you have a weak body, but mind over body! If you worked out and ate healthy and all of that, I'm sure you could move around more freely. You're restraining _yourself_ by thinking you _can't_ do it. You _can_."

Naruto's voice sounded calm but also determined. He wanted Sasuke to hear what he had to say. It was because of that that Sasuke found himself at a loss for words. His lips moved but produced no sound. And then when he finally did find the words, they ended up being the wrong ones.

"Are you trying to tell me that the only reason I can't is because I'm too lazy to try?"

"Maybe more scared than lazy."

Sasuke grit his teeth.

"Fuck you. I don't have to listen to you judging me. You, who wouldn't know what it's like to struggle or work twice as hard as everyone else!"

At that Naruto's eyes hardened and his fist clenched. "Right. Obviously my life has been nothing but sunshine and rainbows. Obviously I've never had a bad day or been in a place so dark and hopeless, I never wanted to get back up again. And _obviously_, I've been handed everything I've got and never had to work for anything." Stepping back, Naruto shook his head, as if to clear all of these unpleasant thoughts and feelings from his mind. "You know what Sasuke? You don't know anything about me."

Idly, Sasuke wondered why that last part sounded more sad than angry. But he felt too indignant to care too much. Instead he just looked off to the side and ignored the sound of Naruto's steps leading off of the bridge. When the sounds stopped, Sasuke peeked over to see Naruto walking away in the distance until he faded from view.

Sasuke couldn't help but marvel at the fact that, as the sun set, Naruto seemed to glow. He looked perfect under the sun, so much it was unfair. He was so full of life while Sasuke…wasn't.

Naruto looked like a golden god while Sasuke no doubt looked like a grim reaper.

~*NS*~

Three days had passed since Sasuke's encounter with Naruto. He was now lying in bed and feeling horrible. He had been having trouble breathing and his legs felt shaky and weak. _He_ felt weak and he _hated_ it. Rolling to his side, he thought about Naruto working outdoors and tried to imagine himself having that much energy. He felt so weak and worn down all of the time and he was sick of it. All he wanted as a kid was to be healthy enough to do what all of the other kids did. But that didn't turn out so well…

In middle school he had tried his best to stay strong. He ignored his headaches and muscle aches, but then one day he just became overwhelmed to the point to where he fainted in the hallway. He had been late to class and his hands were sweaty and shaky, his whole body felt as if it was trembling and it was hard to breathe, but he had ignored it. He didn't want to go home. It would be like admitting defeat. It would be like admitting to the world and to himself that he couldn't handle what everyone else could.

Closing his eyes, he could still remember what he woke up to after fainting…

"_He's waking up."_

"_Sasuke, oh dear, he's burning up so badly."_

"_Mikoto, stop hovering over him."_

"_But why wouldn't he let us know he was sick?"_

"_Mmm…mom?"_

"_Sasuke, how are you feeling?"_

"_Where am I?"_

"_You're home."_

"_I wanna go back to school…"_

"_I don't think that's a good idea. It was a mistake to begin with. You're going back to being home schooled."_

"_Wha – but! I don't –"_

"_Sasuke? Someone bring his inhaler! Don't stress yourself."_

His mother had ran her hand through his hair and told him he'd be okay. He knew he'd be okay, but he wished she'd stop fretting over him so much. He understood why she did. When he was born, the doctors said he wouldn't make it; he was supposed to have died or would die young. Naturally that lead to his mother fearing for his life every waking minute and coddling him. But he didn't want to be coddled. He wanted to go back to school, but before he knew it, he was back to being home schooled. Like a bird trapped in a cage, only allowed to watch the activities of the other birds outside, never allowed to join. Every day Sasuke watched the kids in his neighborhood play. He watched them play at the park outside of his family's car window.

Each time he felt lonelier than before.

"_Mom, I want to go to school."_

A worried look.

"_Oh honey, you can't…"_

"_Father, I want to play sports like the other kids!"_

A disappointed frown.

"_The doctor says you're not fit enough. You can't."_

"_Itachi…can't I come with you this summer when you travel?"_

A sad smile.

"_Sorry little brother, but you can't."_

_You can't. You can't. You can't. _

That was all Sasuke heard growing up. Worry, disappointment, and sadness, were those the only things his family saw when they looked at him? And if that was all they saw, would the world ever see anything else? Sasuke felt like a failure. He wasn't someone his father could be proud of, someone his mother could feel confident in, or someone his brother could stand on equal ground with. Shame and embarrassment seemed to be his only constant companions among all of these other negative emotions that festered in his being.

_What's the point of being alive if I'm not allowed to live? _

The question had repeated itself in his mind for years but he wasn't able to find an answer. He wasn't suicidal and sometimes he even wondered why. After all, if there was no point to live then why not just end it? Why was he clinging so desperately to life?

"_You can."_

_Thu-thump._

Sasuke felt a squeeze in his chest before his heart did a funny leap. It felt thicker than usual, but he wasn't sure why. But he supposed he shouldn't be surprised. Naruto had a habit of bringing out emotions in him that he wasn't even aware he had. Sasuke wasn't sure if it was such a bad thing but at the same time, it made him nervous.

"_You can."_

That was the first time someone had said that to him. He could do it. If he worked hard at it, he could gain a healthier body and do whatever he wanted to do. He could move out of his home and away from this city. He could travel the world, learn different languages, see the difference in other cultures first hand, maybe even pick up a few things and gain some real wisdom.

"_You can't."_

"_You can."_

Those words warred against each other in his mind. After being told he couldn't for so long, he didn't know how to suddenly change that way of thinking. But the hope that those two words brought, that he could, lit a fire in the center of his being. Hope, while never completely lost, was shoved in the back of his mind, sealed tightly in a steel box. Those words unlocked and freed it. He was daring to hope, to _dream_ again. All of those fantasies as a child were rushing back to him and maybe they weren't so unrealistic after all.

But he didn't know where to start or how to go about it…

He didn't feel he could talk to his parents about it. After the hunting incident, his father sighed whenever he so much as glanced his way. His mother would just discourage him and tell him to rest and ask if he wanted something to eat.

His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened, revealing Itachi, the only other person left to consider.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Fine. I'd be better though if everyone would stop fussing over me."

Chuckling, Itachi grabbed his desk chair and dragged it over to the side of his bed to sit. "I suppose that would get old."

"It does. Fast."

"Alright then."

"Itachi."

"Hm?"

"I…had a conversation. With Naruto."

Itachi arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "Naruto Uzumaki? When did you speak with him?"

"When you and father were out hunting."

"Ah. Right. He lives in that town now. Konoha, I believe it's called. It's fairly isolated. I doubt people would bother him there so it makes sense." He paused then, waiting for Sasuke to continue, but when the silence he remained he pressed, "So what did you two talk about? You went to the same school for a bit –"

"Barely a second," Sasuke cut in, exaggerating.

"Were you just catching up?" Itachi continued as if Sasuke hadn't interrupted him at all.

"No…well…sort of, I suppose. It's not like we were ever friends, so I'm not sure if you could say it like that."

Itachi seemed a bit surprised at that. "You weren't friends?"

"No." Sasuke narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Why?"

"It's just that after mother took you out of school, Naruto came here to try and visit you."

"Wha – I don't remember that," Sasuke stated, though his eyes were wide with surprise and his heart and stomach were acting weird again.

"That's because Mother always turned him away, saying you were sick and that you caught things too easily, so he never got to. But he came by once when only I was home and I let him in your room for a bit. You were sleeping though and he didn't want to wake you. He came a few times after that, but then stopped one day, though I'm not sure why. Maybe he was just tired of being turned away. I was the only one who let him in and it was just the one time."

Sasuke stared at his brother like a gawking fish, with his eyes wide and his lips parted. Finally he turned away from him and stared down at his hands in his lap.

Naruto had really come to see him, and many times?

Why?

They weren't friends, so why?

"Why?" he asked aloud, looking at his brother as if he'd have all the answers.

"I think that question would be best answered by Naruto himself, don't you think?"

~*NS*~

The second Sasuke felt well enough he had his family's driver take him to Konoha. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to Naruto and honestly, he didn't even know where the other man lived. He wasn't listed anywhere and hadn't exactly told him. So Sasuke ended up walking around aimlessly. He supposed he should ask someone and hope that they knew where he lived. It was a small town after all. He doubted Naruto could hide his address from _everyone_. Stopping on the corner of some random street with his hands deep in his pockets and his shoulders tensed, he looked around to see if he could find someone who didn't look busy or rushed. He was surprised to note that everyone seemed to be fairly paced. No one looked like they were rushing and a lot of people even shouted hellos to each other and had smiles on their faces.

It was so foreign to a city dweller like him. Never mind that he was from the city, he also didn't have very good social skills. It made what he was witnessing so surreal.

"Hey there, you lost or looking for a good time?" an amused feminine voice asked from his right. He looked over to address the person and first took note of the girl's cherry blossom hair color. The girl must have noticed his impolite stare, because she pointed to her hair and said with a grin, "Believe it or not, but my name is actually Sakura."

"Hn." Sasuke took his eyes off of her hair and looked into her jade eyes. The green was fitting, like leaves to add to the flower. When Sakura just continued to stare at him, he gave his own name, "Sasuke."

"Nice to meet you. So…are you gonna answer my question?"

"I'm…looking for someone. Do you know Naruto?"

Sakura blinked in surprise and then narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You're not from the city are you?"

"I am. Why?"

"Hmm, Naruto spent a lot of time avoiding being in the news yanno? I mean, I don't see why anyone would care to know about him now anyway. He's not wealthy or in that sort of business anymore."

"I'm not here for that. I just…I went to the same school as him in the city. I saw him here a few days ago and just wanted to catch up."

"Hmm," Sakura tapped her chin in thought. "You know what, I believe you. If only because you're so gorgeo – I mean…you look so genuine." She grinned none-too-innocently.

"So do you know where he lives?"

"Sure do!" Sakura told him to turn around and then he felt something press against his back. He had seen her carrying a messenger bag so he guessed she was writing out the directions on paper for him. When she told him to turn back around he saw that he was right. "So long as you're not geographically challenged and can follow this you should be able to find his place easily," she smiled as she ripped out the piece of paper and handed it to him.

"Thank you."

As he was leaving he heard the girl mutter, "Damn, why are all the hot ones gay?" and walked a little faster.

~*NS*~

It turned out that Sakura was right. He was able to follow the map with ease. He could guess by the way she wrote that she was well educated. When he got to the house he saw that it was a simple but beautiful two story house. It was tiny compared to his mansion but looked more…homey. Sasuke had always found his home, his family's mansion, to be cold and empty. There was too much space. It was the place you would want to live in if you didn't want to bump into the people you lived with often. He and his family had so many different rooms to hide from people. The décor also lacked personal touch. It looked pristine but impersonal. The only thing it said about them was that they were clean, rich people. For some reason, Sasuke had a feeling Naruto's house wouldn't be the same and wondered what it looked like from the inside.

But he would never find out if he just kept standing in front of the house and never knocked. So he swallowed his nerves and went up the porch steps – which looked like nicely polished mahogany – and knocked on the door, not even noticing the doorbell.

Not that he needed to use the doorbell because Naruto answered just as he was about to knock for a second time. His face went from curious to surprised as soon as he saw who his guest was. For a split second, Sasuke wondered if he was still upset enough to shut the door back in his face. But luckily, Sasuke detected no hostility from his expression or his words.

"Sasuke? What are you doing here? How'd you know where I live?"

"A girl named Sakura told me. And I…wanted to talk to you."

"Talk to me?" His eyebrows shot up. "About what? I mean, not to be rude or anything, but we didn't exactly leave on the best of terms. It's not like we left shaking hands or hugging with promises to catch up or anything."

Sasuke opened his mouth, but found that he really didn't know what to say. Sure Naruto had visited him at his home but that was years ago. It would be odd to just bring it up now that…had it really been over ten years?

_This is stupid, _Sasuke thought, suddenly embarrassed.

"Sasuke? What's wrong?"

And of course his face had to heat up so the other knew he was embarrassed. He was humiliating himself in front of a stranger just because he had been momentarily touched that he had a visitor as a kid. He was overwhelmed with the urge to hide his face.

"I just…it's stupid. I don't know why I'm here." Sasuke turned around; ready to leave and get out of the awkward position he had put himself in. But Naruto grabbed his arm, stopping him and forcing him to turn back around and look at him.

"Wait! Don't go yet. I mean, you just go here and it must have been a long drive right?"

"It's not that long," Sasuke mumbled, looking down before remembering who he was. He was from a proud family and his pride berated him for lowering his eyes. He was taught to hold his head up high no matter what. So that was what he did. He brought his head up and locked eyes with Naruto. He would not bow his head as if he was inferior to the other man.

"Sorry if you think I'm rude. I should have invited you in already," Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Man sometimes you just lose your manners after living alone for so long. I don't usually have visitors. I mean, my friends sometimes come over but they kind of just let themselves in. Er, right, anyway, come on in!"

Naruto let go of his arm and stepped to the side. Nodding, Sasuke walked past him and took note of his surroundings. There wasn't much to say of the foyer. It was narrow but there was a doorway to his left but he couldn't see much except a table against the wall with a mess of papers and other crap on it. Already he guessed Naruto wasn't a very clean and organized person.

"Ah, do you want anything?" Naruto asked after closing the door, and then walked forward and turned right. Sasuke followed him and found himself in the kitchen. The walls were a soft orange. And there were sliced fishcakes (white with a pink swirl in the middle) in a straight line on the wall near the ceiling as well as closer to bottom by the floor.

"Interesting design," he mumbled, then looked at the table. There were newspapers scattered across it and a coffee mug that was empty but hadn't been cleaned yet, there was also a random empty ramen cup. It looked much like his sink counter which was littered with dirty dishes and some more ramen cups. "You really like ramen, huh?"

"Oh, you noticed that, did you?" Naruto grinned, unashamed.

"I've also noticed that you're a bit of a slob," Sasuke smirked as he looked back at the table. "Is it even safe for me to sit or will a rat come flying out from under those old newspapers and attack me?"

Rolling his eyes, Naruto gestured to the table with his hand. "Go ahead and sit. Do you want something to drink or eat? I have water, milk, coffee, and beer."

"Water will do, thank you," Sasuke replied, unsure. Was it rude to decline the offer or rude to take him up on it? Either way, he supposed it was best to not over think it and was feeling rather parched.

"Okay. So tell me, what brought you out here?"

"I want to apologize for what I said. I was out of line."

Turning from the fridge with a bottle of water, Naruto smiled softly. "Yeah, you were. But I guess I was too. I admit, I don't know what it's like to be sick so often. I've always been active. I've thought about it before and I can't imagine how it must feel to live a sheltered life when all you want to do is roam free."

Sasuke took the offered drink and after uncapping it, brought it to his lips.

"There's another reason I came," he said softly after he swallowed the cold water. "But I'm not sure it's worth mentioning."

"Well, why don't you let me be the judge of that?" Naruto said as he quickly piled up the newspapers and set them on the corner of the table, then took a seat across from Sasuke.

"It's probably stupid to bring it up now. But my brother told me about something."

"Oh?"

"It happened a long time ago though…"

"Well, you know what they say, the things that happen to us in our past has a great deal on our present and future."

"Who's 'they'? Who says that?"

"Freud?"

Snorting, Sasuke shook his head and looked at his water bottle, then remembered that he had nothing to feel ashamed about and brought his gaze back up to meet Naruto's.

"He said that you used to visit me after I was taken out of school."

Naruto blinked. "Oh, he did, did he…?"

"Yes."

"And you're wondering why." It was more of a statement than a question, but Sasuke answered it anyway.

"Yes."

"And you're just finding this out now? No one told you before? Not your mom or your dad?"

Sasuke's mouth twisted. "No. Can you just answer the question? Why did you come visit me? We weren't friends so it's not like you should have felt obligated to."

"Well…that's because you never gave anyone a chance." Naruto leaned back in his chair and scratched the back of his neck; it seemed to be a habit of his. "I mean, you were always moving around and when you weren't you had your nose in a book or something and looked completely unapproachable."

"So then _why_? You're avoiding answering my question," Sasuke huffed, getting a little frustrated.

"I was getting to that," that soft smile was back. "It's just…when you started school, I noticed you. You were always working so hard. It kind of reminded me of myself. I knew of your problems and I was…kind of glad. I mean, I thought I'd finally found someone who understood me."

"Understand you? What do you –"

"I have dyslexia."

At that, Sasuke froze. He was of course familiar with the learning disability, but Naruto had graduated and didn't seem to be struggling – not that Sasuke paid enough attention to notice – so he had never suspected. And also…

"I've never heard of you having that."

Chuckling, Naruto said, "You wouldn't have. My father made sure to keep it on the DL. Only a few teachers and classmates knew. It made studying such a pain in the ass though. I had to work harder than anyone else I knew. It was so frustrating. I felt like I was struggling more than the others and it made me feel like an outsider, like I didn't belong. And then you came along and I saw you struggling. Sometimes you would have these moments where your breathing would pick up and I wondered if your asthma was bothering you. I had already found out about your health problems by then. There were also times when you looked kind of faint and wobbled a little as you walked or massaged your temples to fight off a bad migraine. But you never said anything. You never complained or asked for extra help, just like me. I was very…impressed."

"Impressed?"

"Heh, yeah, I suppose that's the word I'm looking for, or the closest to it. The more I noticed you, the more I wanted to talk to you, to be friends with you. I wanted you at my side. I wanted to help you. And then on the day that you left…you know I was the one that found you?"

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"Yeah. I was running late for class and found you lying on the hallway floor. You really scared me! I ran up to you to see if you were okay and was so relieved to see you weren't bleeding from the head or anything, though I'm sure you were still in pain after you woke up."

"Maybe a little…" Sasuke admitted, remembering the pounding in his head, like his brain gained a heartbeat, and his sore muscles.

"Well, I grabbed your shoulders and was about to pick you up and take you to the nurse's, but then you grabbed my shirt and looked so desperately at me. You pleaded for me not to let them take you home, that you would never be able to come back! I felt so torn then, I wanted to protect you so badly, but before I could do anything one of the teachers saw us and took you away. You had held on to my shirt so tightly until your eyes closed again and your hand relaxed, it was one of the most painful things I had to watch. I felt like I would never see you again after that. That you would disappear and I would lose my chance to ever talk to you or be friends with you. And it ended up coming true…"

"I…" Sasuke swallowed, embarrassed, "I don't remember that."

"You were only half awake. So it doesn't surprise me that you don't."

"So that's why you…"

"I came to visit you every day after that, but I kept getting turned away. Your mother kept saying you weren't well enough and that you could catch some germs from me or something. Your brother let me in that one time, but you were asleep. I stayed in the room with you for about an hour and…" Naruto cheeks turned a little red as he averted his gaze, "I held your hand and felt your pulse with my thumb, reminding myself that even though you disappeared from the school, you hadn't disappeared from the world entirely."

Sasuke felt his own cheeks heat up a little at that admission, not sure what to make of it.

"But then the last time I went your father answered the door. He and my father were business rivals so he didn't like the idea of us becoming friends. So when he asked me what my business was with you and I said I wanted to be friends, he pretty much told me that it was never going to happen and that I should stay and just pretty much told me off. Now that I think back on it, it's kind of pathetic. An adult bullying a twelve year old," he shook his head.

An awkward silence overtook them once again. Sasuke wondered if maybe he should leave, but after Naruto had admitted something so personal, how could he? Since Naruto had shared something personal to him, Sasuke decided to do the same.

"I'm going to try to get healthier."

Naruto's head snapped up and immediately he smiled. "Oh?"

"I talked to my brother about it. I have access to some very good doctors and we're going to make one of the rooms on the third floor for working out. I'm going to try and gain more muscle. I've heard yoga helps some people too. And I'll take vitamins and watch what I eat and…I just want to try. I don't want to live there anymore. Not just in the mansion, but in the city. I feel trapped."

"Exercising will help build up your stamina. Running will be hard on your lungs for awhile, but it'll get easier. You just need to stay motivated enough to keep doing it."

"I get so tired all the time. It's hard." Sasuke sighed and allowed his head to drop. It was something he hadn't brought up to Itachi, but he probably knew anyway. Sometimes it took all he had just to get out of bed. His body had become accustomed to the life he had and he felt ashamed because of it.

When he felt a finger under his chin, he was a bit startled. The finger forced him to look back up again but Naruto's eyes weren't hard or soft, there was something there, but Sasuke couldn't identify it. But it made him feel safe. He felt that admitting these things was safe because he was understood. Ah, was that the emotion there? Understanding?

"I know. It was hard for me in school and after my parents died. I wanted to give up a lot and it was so hard to keep my head up and my eyes on the future, which seemed so far away. There are times when you think things will never change and you're just wasting your time, but that's not true. So chin up. Sasuke, you can do it."

There were those words again.

_You can. _

Suddenly Sasuke was looking at Naruto in a different light. He wasn't some boy who he went to school with, or the boy who went from being a Namikaze to an Uzumaki. It felt as if everything he thought of him before had changed. Now he saw someone strong, someone who had struggled in life but still managed to prevail. He was striving and living on his own without his family's wealth.

Sasuke had never met someone so full of life that was so strong and kind.

"No one's ever told me that before," he found himself admitting without thinking.

"That you can do it?" A sad glint appeared in Naruto's eyes as his brows furrowed together.

"Yeah…"

"Sasuke," Naruto reached forward and covered Sasuke's hand on the table with his own. "There will always be people who say you can't. Ignore them. The best way to make them shut up is to prove you _can_ do it. If you need or want any help, you can always come to me. I'll run with you and you can even help me with some side jobs if you want. I help build and repair houses, you can help. Ever use a hammer before?"

"I – no," Sasuke was taken aback. He hadn't expected Naruto to offer to help him.

"Let me help you. I can teach you how to do things. Who knows, maybe you'll even make your own house. If you want, I could even help you with that."

Speechless, Sasuke just nodded, not knowing what else to do.

"Why would you do that? Why would you want to?"

"Because I don't want to give up my second and maybe last chance to be friends with you. So will you let me help you?"

How could he say no to those eyes?

"Yes."

~*NS*~

Time passed and before Sasuke knew it, a year had gone by since he made that oath to get in shape. It was easier said than done, but he had expected that. There were days when he let his muscles rest but it was hard to get back to it after he got a good amount. To his and Itachi's surprise, he spent more time driving down to Konoha to work out with Naruto than with Itachi at home, though he certainly did that too. But Itachi didn't complain and neither did Naruto. The two boys ended up growing close and formed a strong bond of friendship.

Even though Sasuke was still a bit socially inept, he knew how to talk to Naruto. It was as easy as breathing and he had become so comfortable around the other. They had an easy going banter and talked about everything. Their past, their present, and what they wished for the future. He found out that Naruto still kept in contact with some of his friends from high school but not nearly as much.

"_People drift and grow apart. Part of growing up is learning when to let go and move on."_

Sasuke hated to admit it, but he wondered if that was how it would be for them. When he was healthy and didn't need Naruto to work out with him, would he have to let him go? It hurt him more than anything. So when he first got the chance to travel, he hesitated. He never thought he would have, but he did. When he went to Naruto's house the next day and told him, Naruto had been so excited for him. He was going to visit another country with his brother like he'd always wanted. But somehow, he felt very lonely. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but Naruto looked a little lonely too before it was replaced with joy.

Now Sasuke was back from that journey and he found that he couldn't wait to see Naruto again. While he was away, he had done some thinking with some side counseling from Itachi. Itachi hadn't come in until Sasuke came to the striking realization that…he did not have an interest in women.

"_Sasuke, that woman over there seems to have an interest in you. Why don't you go and talk to her?"_ Itachi had asked. But looking over at her, Sasuke found her lacking.

"_She's not my type."_

"_Oh? What is your type? You've never had a girlfriend before. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only woman in your life is mother and that's rather sad."_

Honestly, Sasuke had never even thought about women. Of course he wasn't completely oblivious and had reached puberty just like everyone else, but he had never fantasized about a woman. Whenever he did fantasize there wasn't a whole body there. There were parts that were blurry and he couldn't make out. But he decided to really close his eyes and tried to picture a body he could be attracted to. Parts just seemed to flesh out as he did.

"_I like…blonds…natural blonds…with darker skin, showing that they spend a lot of time outside during the day. And vibrant eyes that look right through me…"_ And then Sasuke had opened his eyes and looked at his brother, a little worriedly, but Itachi was smiling.

"_Ah, sounds to me like you've already got someone in mind. Pardon me."_

After talking with Itachi a bit more and thinking about it on his own, Sasuke realized why his life felt so empty and lacking despite finally getting to where he wanted to be. So that was why Sasuke was sitting in his very own car outside of Naruto's house late at night. He had decided to come right after he had gotten home rather than waiting the next day. His nerves just simply wouldn't allow him to.

Getting out of the car, Sasuke walked up to the door and knocked. Naruto had told him multiple times to just let himself in and sometimes he did, but he had never come by so late at night before and didn't know if the rules were the same. Didn't people get more paranoid when the sun came down about people coming into their home? It made sense anyway.

The door opened and Naruto's change in expression reminded him of the first time he came knocking on his door, looking lost and confused. A lot of things had changed. Sasuke wasn't scrawny and sickly pale anymore. He was still pretty fair skinned, especially compared to Naruto, but he had a bit more color to him. He had also gained quite a bit of muscle and was pretty toned – though again, not as much as Naruto as the other worked out more and for a longer time, but he was getting there.

But the change wasn't just physical, it was emotional too. People changed and Sasuke had come to find that he didn't want to wander continuously. Of course, he still wished to travel, but perhaps having a home to come back to wouldn't be such a bad thing.

All he had to do was gain that home.

"Sasuke? What are you doing here? You never come by this late."

"I wanted to see you. May I come in?"

"Oh, of course!" Naruto practically jumped to the side to let him in. Sasuke too his coat and scarf off – it had been a cold day – and hung them up himself, familiar and comfortable enough in the other's home. "So did you have fun with Itachi?"

"I did. I also came to realize a few things."

"Oh? What's that?" Naruto asked as he followed Sasuke into the living room. Sasuke smiled as he saw that it was a bit messier than how he'd left it. In exchange for Naruto helping him work out, Sasuke had decided to make it his duty to keep the place clean. He would get to fixing the mess later, he had something much more important in mind.

"I realized traveling isn't enough to make me happy. My life is lacking in something important. I didn't realize it before because I had no one in mind and all I could think about was…well, you know." Sasuke turned to face Naruto, who looked both confused and a little nervous. "Naruto…where do you think we'll go from here?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't need your help anymore."

Hurt flashed in those blue eyes and Sasuke wanted to get rid of it immediately, but waited for his response. He didn't look it as much as Naruto, but he was nervous too, not to mention scared out of his mind. But he stood straight and kept his chin up, like Naruto had told him.

"You told me before that people grow apart, that friends drift apart. I understand what you meant, but I want to know, I need to know…do you see that happening with us as well?"

"Do you want it to?"

"No. I don't want to drift away from you like your other friends. I also don't want to see you every now and then like some of the ones that are still in your life. I don't want to call you in a month and have an hour conversation of how your life has been." Sasuke stepped forward until he was almost nose to nose with Naruto. "I want to experience your life with you. I've been thinking about it for awhile now, how I don't want to leave. I feel like I've just now found a home. I never felt at home in that mansion. It was a place where I lived but…there was no warmth, no comfort, and not enough love to balance out the rest of the negativity."

"Sasuke…"

"I won't hide behind the bush like a coward. I like you. I may even…love you. I don't know how you feel about me or how you feel about other men or if you prefer women, but I don't want to miss out on this chance just because I was afraid. You taught me never to let that happen…"

"Sasuke," Naruto sounded more sure as he reached up and pressed his palm to Sasuke's cheek. "Of all the time you've been here, have you ever seen anyone else around? I mean, a few friends here and there, but I mean any girlfriends or boyfriends?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No."

"When I saw you in school, I was fascinated and impressed with you. When I held you in my arms after you fainted, I was overcome with the need to protect you. When I held your hand in your room, I wanted to stay at your side forever. When I gave up because your father told me to, I felt like I'd made the biggest mistake in my life." His hand ran through his hair until it cupped the back of his head. "And when I saw you for the first time again here, in Konoha and when you came to my house, I couldn't get over how beautiful and lost you were. I wanted to help you find your way. I wanted to help you find happiness…and I really didn't want to make another big mistake and let you go without a word."

"Na –" Whatever he had to say would have to wait. Naruto pressed their lips together and kept his grip on the back of his head to keep him there. Sasuke felt as if his heart was inflating in his chest, it felt so full and was thumping so harshly. Naruto's other arm wrapped around his waist and brought their bodies together. Sasuke wrapped one arm around Naruto's shoulder and the other around his waist, clenching his shirt and reveling in the feeling of his hard chest and body.

_This is what it means to be alive_, was his mind's last coherent thought before he opened his mouth and angled his head to deepen the kiss.

When they parted, Sasuke's glazed eyes looked into Naruto's. "So…I take it this means you wouldn't mind me moving in?"

"Already inviting yourself to live in my house? I'm not sure how I feel about being with someone so forward and bossy," Naruto teased as he rubbed their noses together.

"And I'm not so sure about being with someone so affectionate. I'm going to take a stab at this and say you like to cuddle. But I'm still willing to work through it."

Chuckling, Naruto pecked him on the lips before moving back. "Good. I'm like, really happy now. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. Wanna have a movie marathon?"

"Sure. Hey Naruto?"

"Hmm?"

"I can have you, be here, and still travel, can't I?"

Naruto smiled. "Of course you can. You can do whatever you want. I believe in you Sasuke."

Those eyes were so sincere; Sasuke could do nothing but believe them. He let Naruto pull him into another hug and when Naruto whispered in his ear, he knew he would never regret this choice.

"I always have."

_fin_


End file.
